


PROLOGUE: Hope County

by nottie



Series: A Captain, a Deputy, a Judge [1]
Category: Far Cry 5, Far Cry: New Dawn
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Gen, Mental Health Issues, POV Alternating, Slow Burn, future cap/dep, more tags and relationships will be added to future parts of this story, somewhat canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25106911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottie/pseuds/nottie
Summary: The Prosperity needs help in defeating the Highwaymen, so the Captain of Security Bishop travels north to propose an alliance.This is the 6-chapter prologue to the story A Captain, a Deputy, a Judge. In short, this story intends to rewrite parts of FCND while re-telling the story of the Junior Deputy in FC5. Starring the Captain of Security Bishop and the Junior Deputy Dinah Castle.
Relationships: Captain of Security/Deputy | Judge (Far Cry)
Series: A Captain, a Deputy, a Judge [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818412
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has been cooking up in my head and notes for several months, and now it's finally seeing the light of day! I am very excited for the upcoming parts!

#### The Captain

There were many things the Captain of Security had prepared for. The team, put together by Thomas Rush, had been trained to be the best god-damn recolonization team there could be. Over the years their cross-country tour had brought Bishop in touch with all kinds of homes and lives. They had seen it all; Feral animals attacking camps and colonies, nuclear storms hitting so suddenly it left no time for people to take shelter and people on both sides of the law: those who want to live in peace, and those who want to destroy the peace.

The Highwaymen of Hope County are the latter, and even in their thirst for blood they were nothing the Rush’s team hadn’t seen before. Even Mickey and Lou, the infamous twins leading the Highwaymen are nothing Bishop hasn’t seen. Sure, they may be more cunning, significantly much more brutal, and much _much_ more resourceful than the ones they had faced before. But even after their train had been attacked, and Rush had been captured for a while, and morale still seemed low after everything that has been going down, even after _everything_ Bishop is convinced they will take Hope County back from the tyranny of the twins.

But in order to do so, Rush believes the people of Prosperity need help in their endeavors, and while more and more people have been joining their cause it does not seem to be enough. And it seems for now they really have no one else to turn but the New Eden convent.

Apparently, the New Edeners are purists who refuse to use any man-made items from the old world, including electricity. One of the most important recolonization methods for Rush’s team has always been reusing every old-world item they can. Bishop has her doubts in recruiting New Eden to their side. However, what she cannot deny is their effectiveness. She has heard stories of the New Eden’s hunters taking down entire camps of Highwaymen without suffering a single loss. Undoubtedly some of the stories are exaggerated, but Bishop is eager to find out the truth about New Eden’s fighters.

When Bishop arrives at the gates of New Eden, the last rays of sunshine are teasing the mountains in the horizon. The day has been warm, but it is going to get a lot colder soon, and Bishop is not keen on the idea of spending the night in the convent. Hopefully the _Edeners_ aren’t too hostile towards outsiders.

After taking in the size of the New Eden’s wooden walls and gate, she balls her hand into a fist and bangs on the door. Bishop had hoped for a loud, booming sound from the gate and the lack of it leaves her disappointed. She wonders if anyone has even heard it, so she bangs again.

A hatch slightly above her eyesight opens, and a mask stares back at her.

“Uhm, hi?” she says, and after she recovers from the surprise of the masked figure, she continues: “I’m looking for Joseph Seed?”

The mask says nothing but keeps staring at Bishop. The stare is almost enough to convince Bishop to spin on her heels and not return. Instead she straightens her back to see the mask more clearly and continues.

“I’ve come from Prosperity to ask for your help. I’m the Captain of Security of the recolonization team that arrived here a month ago, I’m sure you’ve heard of us. I, well, _we_ think an alliance between…”

The mask cuts her off by slamming the hatch shut, and Bishop curses under her breath. What now? Maybe she ought to set up camp near here and try again in the morning. But as she is about to turn back the way she came, the gate opens. Not entirely, but enough for the masked figure to let Bishop in.

“Thanks,” she says as she passes the mask by mere inches, but stops in her tracks as she sees the place.

New Eden is nothing short of a small village. The buildings stand tall, and a water wheel spins slowly near the gates. Despite the sun already setting, there are still people outside, working on chores such as chopping wood or weaving baskets. All of them are dressed similarly, in leather and fur, no doubt handmade from animals they hunt for food. Children laugh as they run along the pathway. No one else wears a mask.

 _The Mask_ , as Bishop quickly resolves to calling them since they seem to lack either will or skill to speak, leads her through the village. First, they cross a narrow bridge and continue up the road. The villagers sneak glances at her as they walk by, but once Bishop tries making eye contact, they immediately turn away. Bishop can still feel everyone’s eyes on her. Her attire differs quite significantly from the villagers’; Her camo cargo pants, white tank top and black hunting jacket make a striking contrast against the villagers, and Bishop feels uninvited.

They arrive at the top of the hill where behind a big campfire stands a building taller and grander than the others. _Joseph Seed’s house, apparently_ , Bishop thinks to herself and glances at the Mask, who nods and makes way for her to climb up the stairs to the house. _Or a church,_ Bishop corrects herself as she steps in and sees the shrine at the back of the room. A large painting done on animal vellum graces the wall above the shrine, and below it, candles and flowers spread across the length of the wall.

Bishop recognizes the painting on the wall to be of Joseph, but the man who she finds is far too young to be the same man.

“If you came looking for the old man,” the man says, waving towards the painting and Bishop too takes another glance at it, “he is not here.”

“I thought he was the leader of your village,” Bishop says. He laughs, and his laugh sounds more like a bark of a dog. Out of the corner of her eye she notices the Mask has joined them as well. She figures they are a bodyguard of some sort.

“He was. Until he left his followers, his family, and went up north to live in isolation,” he says, his voice calm but Bishop can hear there’s an edge to it. “He said he needed to talk to God, to hear His Voice, and claimed he couldn’t do it here. So, up north he went, and once he’d been gone for a year, his followers chose me as their leader.”

The man finally faces Bishop, and eyes her from head to toe, as if sizing her up for something.

“Well I guess you’re the one I should be talking to, then. If Joseph’s not here I mean,” Bishop says, mostly to break the uncomfortable silence. “I don’t care who I talk to, as long as it’s the one who leads your people.”

“Why are you here?”

“To propose an alliance between New Eden and Prosperity,” she says, doing her best to sound resolute. “The Highwaymen are a tough bunch to beat, but by joining forces I – _we_ – believe we could take them down.”

The man barks yet another laugh.

“Even though the family has chosen me as their leader, they do not truly follow me. They keep,” he squeezes his hands into fists, “– _believing_ Joseph will return. I don’t even know if the man is alive or not. His sanctuary is sacred to his followers, and they believe he will return when the time is right. And as long as they believe he is alive, they will not follow my decisions, even if they are for the good of the family.”

Bishop bites back a groan. She thinks she knows where this is going.

“But _you –_ “

_Called it._

“ _You_ could travel north and bring back proof of his death,” he says. “And if he’s not dead, well, _you know._ You can make it so. And Eden would at last understand I am their prophet, their leader, and I could give you the help you need. We both get what we want.”

A few nights ago, when Bishop had been preparing for her travel towards New Eden, Kim Rye had sat down with her. Kim had come to Bishop’s corner (she did not have her own room since she rarely spent her nights at the Prosperity) and told her about the events before the Collapse. Before that, Bishop had heard stories, mere rumors and whispers, but those stories could not compare to the one Kim told her. Kim had already voiced her dissatisfaction with the decision to ally Prosperity with New Eden, and after hearing from her Bishop also understands _why_ she feels the way she does. It has been 17 years, and Kim still hates, even _fears_ Joseph Seed.

For Bishop, it is not difficult to agree to the proposition that is being laid out before her.


	2. Chapter 2

#### The Judge

Ethan gathers the family to the steps of the church and speaks to them; An outsider has come pleading for their help against the Highwaymen, and Ethan has agreed to let her speak to the Father. At first the Father’s followers object – the North is sacred, after all – but then Ethan speaks of concern for the Father, that as his family they are duty-bound to care for his well-being, and that someone should at least go see whether he is alive or not. Some gasp at the statement, and wails of cries sound around the camp.

Eventually the people of New Eden agree to send this stranger to the Father. The prospect of having left Joseph to meet his end up North has left the people terrified. Fear is the best way to lead, and Ethan has learned from the best.

You know Ethan’s real plan, however. Even when their arrangement was spoken in hushed tones and Ethan most likely thought otherwise, you could clearly hear what was being said. The thought of it leaves you cold, raising goosebumps on your skin, as if ice is poured down your neck.

Like the villagers, you have not spoken to Joseph for over a year. When he had left, Joseph had given you one, simple order: To protect Ethan. So, whenever Ethan left New Eden, you went along with him. It had been clear that Ethan hated you, but eventually you had found a common chord; In order to protect him, you also carried out his wishes. Most of them, anyway. But you know that he continues to hate you for being closer to the Father than he has ever been, hates you for having a deeper connection with him despite never hearing you say a word.

To wear a mask means to hide your emotions, and it is a skill you have mastered well. But when you think of this stranger going to the Father with the intention to kill, you can feel your expression under the mask distort into fear.

Ethan guides the stranger to the beginning of her journey. You trail behind them, keeping a safe distance to ensure Ethan does not see you. It is an easy feat to avoid his gaze, and at the gates he gives guidance to the stranger. Ethan has a boat stashed away not too far from here. The boat is an item of the old world, its outboard motor runs on gasoline and since everything from the old world is forbidden, Ethan needs to make sure no one knows about it.

Once Ethan returns to the village, you slip through the gate and follow the stranger. She is shuffling through the tall grass by the river, looking for the boat. Once you step out into her vicinity, the stranger nearly jumps out her skin.

“ _Jesus,_ you scared the shit out of me!” she proclaims. “You know where the boat is, right?”

The stranger follows you as you lead her further along the river. She makes a lot of noise as she trails behind you, but gladly the areas surrounding New Eden barely have any animal wildlife to be worried about.

When you reach the boat, the stranger says: “Thank god, I was starting to believe that Ethan guy didn’t even have a damn boat.”

Your eyebrow involuntarily rises at her casual mentions of _Jesus_ and _God_ , but because of the mask there is no way for her to see it. With your help, she pushes the boat away from the bushes and as the stranger boards the boat, you follow suit.

“Oh, you’re coming along?” she asks, but after she gets no reaction the two of you fall into a silence that is neither uncomfortable nor companionable. The only interactions you share are when you point her down different river branches. You could still find your way to Joseph’s sanctuary even if you were asleep.

As the boat travels further up north, you start noticing the effects of the Bliss on the stranger. She even comments on it, telling you how the air smells sweet and is making her feel lightheaded, so you stand up from the rear to steer the boat. The stranger happily gives you the tiller and goes on to lay down on the bottom of the boat. Soon a loud snore sounds from her direction.

The sky has already gone dark, and even with the thick Bliss in the air the aurora is clear and vibrant. Even after ten years of living in the new world you never get tired of looking at the night sky.

“Should I do it?” the stranger asks after a long while. You have failed to notice her wake up. “Kill him?”

Your body tenses. Either the stranger has taken a wild guess at you knowing about her conversation with Ethan, or she is merely talking to herself, not expecting a reply. But when you look at her, her eyes are drilling holes into your mask.

You end up saying nothing, and slowly turn back to scan the river ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

#### The Deputy

_Breathe in. Breathe out._

The situation so far had been much more intense that any of them had anticipated. Even Sheriff Whitehorse seemed a little taken aback, but he made sure to keep the reins in his hands. To keep his underlings unnerved. To keep the marshal from lashing out unnecessarily.

“Rookie, on me,” the sheriff says, but the rest is lost to her. There’s a weird buzz in her ears.

_Breathe in. Breathe out._

The junior deputy Dinah Castle checks her holster for the twentieth time since their landing to the compound. Her 1911 is still there. The safety is still on. The handcuffs are in her pocket. She can hear the commotion of the peggies behind her, dogs barking, fire crackling in the distance.

“You’ll be fine.”

Next to Dinah, Joey Hudson is looking at her. She is a few years older but has several years in the Sheriff’s office more than Dinah. Even Joey seems nervous, even though she is trying her best to hide it.

_It’ll be fine._

_Breathe in. Breathe out._

_Hold your breath._

The marshal and Whitehorse open the church doors.

A cross on the back wall shines bright light to the church, forming a halo behind the speaker. Faces turn towards the intruders, but the speaker doesn’t stop. Joseph Seed. There is quiet commotion among the listeners, but Seed’s voice booms over theirs. The hairs in the back of Dinah’s neck stand up as she trails behind the others, into the church.

_“Something is coming. You can feel it, can’t you? That we are creeping toward the edge… and there will be a reckoning...”_

Something about this feels off. _Everything_ here feels off. Dinah readies her arm, just in case, creeps it a little closer to her holster. The sheriff hasn’t drawn her gun, neither has Joey. The people around them are starting to edge closer.

_“They will come. They will try to take from us. Take our guns. Take our freedom… Take our faith. But we will not let them.”_

The marshal is getting antsy. It was clear from the start that Burke knew nothing about the situation in Hope County. By the time Dinah had settled in Hope, the entire county had been under the reign of the Seeds for a year already, and things had only gone worse from there. She had been fired from her last position down south, and after seeing her record Hope County Sheriff’s Office was the only one to accept her job application. Dinah knew she was signing herself up for the worst job possible, but she had taken it anyway. Nothing had mattered to her. She had wanted to die.

Now, here, she realizes she _does not_ want to die.

_“We will not let their greed, or their immorality, or their depravity hurt us anymore_.”

“Do not pull that trigger, remain calm,” Whitehorse says to Burke, but instead the marshal starts reading the warrant to Joseph Seed.

_Breathe in. Breathe out_.

They are now close enough to see Seed better. He is nothing like a common preacher – his upper body is shirtless and tattooed, and nothing about his demeanor says _priest_. His confidence oozes out of him. Were Dinah a follower of his faith, she too would have put his trust in this man.

The followers start gathering between them and Seed. Dinah can feel Joey by her side, can hear her breathing speed up. Dinah raises her hand to her holster. _Remain calm_.

_“Here they are. The locusts in our garden. You see they have come for me. They’ve come to take me away from you. They’ve come to destroy all that we’ve built.”_

Commotion. The peggies have melee weapons in hand, and their voices are rising. They are a barrier between the marshal and Seed. Sheriff’s voice rises above the others, trying to calm everyone down. There’s no need for this to go this way.

Dinah clicks off the safety of her gun, hoping no one will notice. None of them have drawn weapons yet, and she doesn’t either.

And then, Seed steps down and raises his hand to touch the shoulders of his followers. They stop immediately, suddenly all calm and collected. As he does it, Dinah notices people moving _behind_ Seed, dressed remarkably much better than the peggies Joseph is acknowledging. The two men have beards as neat as the preacher has, and the woman looks serene in all white.

It all feels wrong.

“ _We knew this moment would come. We have prepared for it. Go. God will not let them take me.”_

And the peggies disperse. Just like that.

Dinah watches as the men exit the church. They eye the deputies on their way out, but their expressions are calm, even peaceful. Then Dinah glances at Joey, who nods. It’s going to be fine.

But as the preacher speaks again, Dinah can feel the cold seep into her core.

_“I saw when the Lamb opened the first seal, and I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder, one of the beasts say, come and see—”_

“Step forward!”

_“—and I saw, and behold, it was a white horse –”_

Seed then focuses on Dinah, his intense eyes on hers, as he says: “—and Hell followed with him.”

“Rookie -- cuff this son of a bitch,” the marshal says, addressing Dinah, snapping her back from Seed’s gaze. She nods and when she turns back to face Seed, he has already put up his hands in surrender.

Dinah fumbles her pockets for the handcuffs and tries her best to keep her hands from trembling. She isn’t sure whether the trembling is because of fear or the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

She gets the handcuffs and proceeds seemingly fearlessly. Looks him in the eye, and Seed seems to gaze back, right into Dinah’s soul, evaluating whether her soul is worthy. Of anything.

“God will not let you take me,” he says, and it is almost a whisper, before Dinah quickly grabs on to his wrists and snaps the cuffs around them. As he does so, she looks over his shoulder to the three behind him. Joseph Seed’s siblings, Dinah realizes. Two brothers and a sister. They say nothing, _do nothing_ , as she steps behind Joseph, ready to guide him out of the compound.

_“Sometimes the best thing to do, is to walk away.”_


	4. Chapter 4

#### The Captain

The view that comes into sight is breathtaking. An old, long-abandoned dam towers above them, slowly letting a steady flow of water through its cracks. Even the air seems fresher than it had been on their way here, and Bishop draws in a long breath. The sweet scent is still there, but fainter. She wonders what causes it.

Once the boat reaches the end of the river, they are directly below the dam. The Mask hops off from the boat, onto a small wooden pier, and ties the boat to a corner post. Bishop gets up and steps on the pier as well. But when she starts ascending the stairs, the Mask stays behind. Bishop spares them a brief glance, as if offering them to join her, but once they show no reaction Bishop continues up the stairs.

As she ascends, she takes in the sounds around her. The water streams in a steady flow, and birds chirp around her. It feels hard to believe someone Kim has called a mass murderer would live in a place like this.

The sound of birds dies down when Bishop enters the building that stands on the steep cliff, supported by wooden legs. As the curtain behind her falls down, darkness casts around her. The only light coming into the building comes in from a large door, partly covered with a curtain. And that’s where Bishop finds Joseph Seed.

He is sitting in the light, with his bare back facing Bishop. That back is covered in tattoos, and his graying hair is on a bun. As Bishop edges closer, the man stands up to face her.

There are wrinkles between his eyebrows, and dark shades beneath his eyes. Someone living in a paradise like this ought to not look like that, Bishop thinks to herself. For a brief moment Bishop detects something akin to curiosity, as he eyes her from head to toe. But then the interest is gone, and the hollow look in his eyes is back.

“Joseph Seed?” Bishop asks, and immediately realises how stupid it sounds.

The man sneers, as he says: “ _Maybe I used to be.”_

Seed then turns away and steps through the curtain to the balcony outside.

Bishop fights back the urge to snort. _Used to be_ seems to be right. This man is nothing akin to the stories she has heard of Seed. She wonders how his followers still look up to him. Maybe that is why he is holed up in here. Instead of answering, Bishop follows him outside.

The balcony gives a beautiful view towards the dam and the sky above it. Seed pays no attention to the view and starts following a trail that leads up to the pink-petaled tree at the top of the dam.

“I did everything that I was asked. I sacrificed,” Seed starts speaking as Bishop falls in step right behind him, “Myself, my family. I led us into the new world. I thought that it would be glorious.”

“I was wrong,” he breathes out then, and his words are heavy with emotion. It sounds like defeat, but it is not a sob, nor a cry. It is more akin to anger, to resentment. Regret.

Joseph Seed is _bitter._

“This world,” he says, “all these beautiful flowers, these vivid colors, the aurora on the sky. This new world was supposed to be our world. Our Eden.”

_Bitter._

“The Voice –,” he begins to say, but decides to start again. “I was _promised_ that the locusts, the heathens, the sinners would not be granted passage to the new world. These Highwaymen, and others like them, are the people who should have burned. The Collapse was supposed to take them away.”

Seed’s speech is quickening in speed and rising in volume, and Bishop spares a fleeting moment to the rusty 1911 strapped to her thigh.

When they reach the top of the dam, Seed halts to take in the sight of the tree – an _apple_ tree, Bishop realises – before stepping closer again. Bishop takes note that the air up here is sweeter than it had been down by the river when they arrived.

Seed touches the bark of the tree, as if caressing an old lover, before snapping an apple from its branch. Bishop tilts her head a little as she watches him smell the apple, throw it away, and choose another one from the tree.

“I came here to talk to God. To hear his voice,” Seed says, looking at the apple as if talking to it instead of Bishop. “I talked to him, time and time again, but it was in vain.”

He looks at Bishop again when he says: “But now _you_ are here.”

 _You are crazy_ , is what Bishop wants to say but she holds her tongue. Her fingers graze the handle of her weapon, and Seed’s eyes do not fail to see the movement. But he chooses to ignore it, as he surges closer to her.

 _“The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for her, and the sheep listen to her voice_ ,” he says and lifts the apple, giving it to Bishop. “Maybe you will be the shepherd of my flock, now.”

Before Seed can get any closer, Bishop draws her weapon and points it at Seed’s head. Right between the eyes. At this distance it would be easy to do. But even though Seed stops in his feet, he does not even flinch at the weapon pointed at him.

The hope in Seed’s eyes flickers but does not die entirely. Bishop clicks the safety off and loads.

“She will not let you take me,” Seed says, then, with absolute certainty. Bishop's eyes widen, as she grasps at what he means, and spins around. Now the barrel of her weapon is pointing at the Mask. Bishop had no idea they – _she_ – had been following them.

Bishop curses under her breath. She should have known the Mask is his bodyguard.

“Why are you here, child?” Seed asks behind her, so Bishop tilts her head a little to speak to him, not taking her eyes off the Mask.

“Alliance. I came to New Eden to propose an alliance with Prosperity, to take out the Highwaymen. Ethan promised Eden’s help,” she hesitates for a moment, but decides to speak the truth, “He promised the New Eden’s help if I kill you.”

When Bishop’s confession is met with silence, her curiosity causes her to turn back around to take a look at him. She searches his face, his eyes, his hollow cheeks, but finds no emotion. No shock, no disappointment, no nothing.

And then, her weapon has already been disarmed from her. Bishop spins around to confront the Mask, but before she can take even one step towards her, the Mask is already pulling out the clip and throws both the gun and the clip down the waterfall.

Bishop wants to fight. She wants to take a swing at the stupid mask, smash it to pieces. As if anticipating it, the Mask takes a defensive stance, ready to react. Bending her knees a little and throwing back her shoulders, Bishop tries to imitate the Mask, ready to attack.

But then Joseph Seed says, “I can help you.”

“You’re going back to New Eden?” she asks. Even though she is switching her focus to Seed, she can still feel the Mask’s presence behind her.

“No,” he says, and takes her hand.

Bishop flinches, at first, but then understands his intention; Seed presses the apple he has been holding into her hand. Dumbfounded, she feels the weight of it in her hand. The surface of the red apple reflects sunshine, and Bishop is tempted to taste it.

She tears her eyes away from the mouthwatering apple and looks up to Seed who is now stepping closer to the Mask. He raises his hand to lay it on the side of her head, on her hood. Even through the thick fabric it is a soft, intimate touch; It is not something he would do to his followers back at the village, Bishop thinks. When Seed then addresses Bishop, his hand is still lingering on the Mask’s shoulder.

“I will give leave for my Judge to you. She will be of more help to you than the New Eden ever would.”

“The _Judge?”_ Bishop asks and throws an incredulous look from Seed to the Mask. The Mask nods.

“She speaks only one language – that of violence,” Seed continues. _“You should fear the sword yourselves; for wrath will bring punishment by the sword, and then you will know that there is judgement_.”

Seed gives the Judge one last look, their eyes seem to meet, and starts his descent down from the dam. When Bishop looks back up to the _Judge_ , she has already turned her back to Seed and is standing beside Bishop as if awaiting orders.

“So that’s it, then,” she says more to herself than to the Judge, and wants to laugh. The situation is _ridiculous_ , but it has also left Bishop unarmed and unable to do anything about killing Joseph Seed. The Judge would not let her kill him.

Seed does not seem keen on the idea of leaving this paradise at all, and Bishop wonders whether Ethan can be convinced to believe that Joseph Seed now lies dead. Maybe she could say he was already dead when they arrived – then she would not have to make up a story about how she killed him herself.

“The Judge, huh?” Bishop says, trying for a lighter mood. As expected, the Judge does not speak. “I’m Bishop, by the way,” she adds, as if the Judge would ever use her name.

Suddenly, Bishop’s stomach lets out a hungry gurgle, as if replying in the Judge’s stead. But, as she raises the apple that is still in her hand to take a big bite out of it, the Judge stops her. Bishop looks up, upset, as the Judge snaps the apple out of her hand and throws it down into the river below them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Bible quotes are from John 10:2-3 and Job 19:29.


	5. Chapter 5

#### The Judge

Your steps are heavy as you step through the gates of New Eden.

Your steps are heavy, but as your feet take you further away, the morning dew fills your lungs. The air is cold, and the mist of your breath glows in the early light of the morning.

The Captain of Security – _Bishop_ – walks several steps ahead of you, as you walk beside the road. Further and further away. Every now and then, she turns back to see whether you are still following, as if expecting you to disappear. 

Upon your return to New Eden the night before, Bishop had broken the news to the expecting villagers. The sun had already set, and a scout had been waiting to announce your arrival. Within minutes the entire village had gathered in front of the church. The news had broken many of them. Wherever you had turned to look you saw despair.

The villagers then prepared a feast in honor of the Father, and they told stories and sung songs about him. The Captain of Security, the one you were now supposed to follow, had eaten and slept well within the compound. In the morning you had departed with her.

Even though you had tried, sleep had not caught you. The Father’s words kept repeating in your head.

The words _still_ repeat in your head, as you walk away from the only place you could have called home.

_I give leave for my Judge to follow you._

You have been given away. _Joseph_ has given you away. It leaves you boiling inside, as if someone has poured hot water down your throat, and you thank the morning dew for cooling down the nausea that threatens to overboil.

 _They speak only one language – that of violence_.

For the past year, you have been good. You have been able to keep your anger, your _wrath_ at bay. But it is not enough. You _are_ still wrath, Joseph knows it, he knew it even before you did. You are wrath, and he knows how it can be used for good.

That’s it; You are following orders. This is what Joseph wants you to do. He does not want to get rid of you.

You are helping. You are still useful.

It is only temporary.

You will be reunited again.


	6. Chapter 6

#### The Deputy

The wind howls in the Deputy’s ears as she grips on to the cold metal poles of the mast with both hands. The wind grasps at her clothes and her dark hair, so she has to steady her footing on the platform before creeping to the other side with careful steps. She gets to the lever and pulls it down and feels how the power starts to surge up to the antenna.

“Hey, Deputy!” she hears Dutch’s voice in her earpiece, “I’m getting a strong signal now! Well done.”

A smile threatens to spread on Dinah’s lips. For _once_ something is going right. Helping Dutch liberate his island had been tough, but also surprisingly exhilarating. She had felt little remorse over taking out peggies – the members of the Project at Eden’s Gate, as Whitehorse had called them earlier – because the peggies had shown little hesitation in trying to shoot her brains out, if given a chance.

Still holding on to the mast, she takes in the view. The mist around it seems to be clearing, finally, because of the strong wind. The entire county slowly lights up in vibrant colors. Everywhere Dinah looks, she can see mountains in the horizon, and below her the Silver Lake spreads out around Dutch’s island.

For the first time since arriving in Hope County a few years ago, Dinah feels like she can breathe. She thinks of the others – Sheriff Whitehorse, Joey, Staci, even the marshal – and wonders if there is anything she can do for them. Because if there is a chance that any of them are alive, Dinah is going to do everything in her power to rescue them.

Then, the radio in her ear comes to life again.

“Deputy. I’m picking something new outta Holland Valley. It’s a broadcast from John. You need to see this,” Dutch says. “Meet me back at the bunker, I think I have a spare map here somewhere you can take with you.”

**End of Prologue: Hope County**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a deputy, a captain and a judge walk into a bar...
> 
> Thank you for reading the prologue to A Captain, a Judge, a Deputy! I hope you liked the way the point of views AND timelines alternate. I've been having a blast planning this story and trying to figure out ways how to tie together the povs, the timeline, and the chapters into a neat little package. Expect some familiar faces from FC5 and some new twists to FCND. This is only the beginning.
> 
> There are some parts in this prologue that I am not entirely happy with, so I might come back to polish it up a little, but I won't change anything significant without announcing it in future parts!


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